The invention relates to a device for pressing and holding apart the disengaged disks of a disk clutch of the type having clutch disks fixed in rotation yet axially movable on disk supports.
The purpose of the invention is to prevent the clutch disks from clinging to each other when the clutch is disengaged, and also to prevent wobbling, along with the accompanying residual torque, output losses, heating and wear.
To loosen the disks from each other, it has been comtemplated to provide that the inner clutch disks are corrugated. Thereby these inner clutch disks act like spring elements that are pressed flat in engagement, and in disengagement effect a lifting off of the other disks. In large clutches with long disengaged operation, as for example in double clutches for two different drive directions of rotation, and with a sloped incorporation of the clutch, such corrugated elevations of the inner disks continuously scrape on the outer disks, become heated and deteriorate. Also, the wobbling of the disks in disengagement that evokes the transmitted residual torque for the most part is not prevented with this arrangement.
It has also been contemplated to provide that like disks are pressed apart by spring force in disengagement, Difficulties arise with such arrangements because of the necessary precise mutual adjustment of the spring elements by fixing the spring elements on their place of incorporation and by uniform limiting of the path of the spring of the respective spring elements when the gap between the disks has become sufficiently large, from the pressing apart.
The invention is addressed to the problem of forcing like disks apart when the clutch is disengaged, up to a precisely defined amount. This problem is solved in that centrifugal weights are disposed between like disks, which weights in disengagement are moved radially outward to a stop, by the centrifugal force that acts upon them, thereby forcing the disks apart by a predetermined amount, and in the compression of the disks that is required for engagement are forced radially inward by said disks.
An advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the centrifugal weights are constituted by balls disposed, for the inner disks, in axially directed bores in the support of the inner disks, between said inner disks, whereby the path of the balls is defined by the walls of said bores. Just with these measures, a uniform forcing apart of the clutch disks in disengagement results. With sloping position of the clutch, each respective outer disk is pressed only by its own weight against the corresponding inner disk.
According to a further feature of preferred embodiments with further balls held by bores through the outer disks, there is a further reduction of residual torque because the outer disks are also forced apart by the further balls.
Aside from the simple use of balls as centrifugal weights, the present invention contemplates other embodiments with centrifugal weight bodies of other suitable configuration such as disks that are symmetrical in rotation, and connected to one another by a shaft.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a single embodiment in accordance with the present invention.